Oyster chock



, Oct. 7, 1952 LABAT 2,612,653

OYSTER CHOCK Filed Aug. 29, 1951 Fig.1. 32 I8 30 fl a 36 i i it I E t 2 34 34 2a, 2

9:1 36 i 1 1! R r 1 Lawrence M. L abat INVENTOR.

BY M 3% Patented Oct. 7, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OYSTER CHOCK Lawrence M. Labat, New Orleans, La. Application August 29, 1951, Serial No. 244,147

' 1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in oyster chocks, and the principal object of the invention is to properly support and hold an oyster while it is being opened by means of a conventional oyster knife or a similar tool.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efiicient and dependable operation, and in its adaptability to accommodate oysters of various sizes.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the plane of the line 2-2 in Fi ure 1;

Figure 3 is a, front elevational view of the invention; and,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an insert used in the invention.

Like characters ofreference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of an oyster chock which is designated generally by the reference character I and embodied in its construction a body 12 which, for purposes of saving weight and material, is preferably hollow as indicated at [4 in Figure 2.

The body l2 has upwardly convergent side walls l6 which are provided in their lower, forward edge portions with suitable recesses 18, the latter being adapted to receive-therein the usualmoulding at the edge of a bar, or the like, on which the chock may be positioned while it is used. I

In any event, the body i2 is provided at the rear thereof with an elongated, convex crown portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced parallel keeper ribs 24 extending thereon, so that when an oyster is positioned horizontally on the crown portion 20 for purposes of opening, the ribs 24 will effectively prevent the oyster from slipping.

In addition, the body I2 is formed forwardly of the crown portion 20 with an elongated. concave recess 26 in which is removably positioned an elongated, convexo-concave insert 28. The latter is removably retained in position in the recess by a suitable fastening element 30, the head of which is counter-sunk in an aperture 32 with which the insert is formed, it being noted that the fastening element 30 is disposed at one end of the insert so that it does not interfere in any manner with the positioning of an oyster in the insert.

The insert is also sustained in position by a pair of keeper rails 34 which are formed integrally with the body l2 at the upper edges of the recess 26, and a set of spaced, parallel keeper ribs 36 are formed integrally with the insert 28 toprevent the oyster from slipping.

Needless to say, an oyster is positioned vertically in the insert 28 for purposes of opening, and when after a prolonged period of use the insert becomes worn, it may be readily replaced.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

An oyster chock comprising a block-shaped body having an upper surface provided with an elongated open-ended recess of a substantially U-shaped cross-section, portions of said body at upper longitudinal edges of said recess being undercut and affording a pair of parallel inverted keeper grooves, an elongated open-ended insert of a substantially U-shaped cross-section removably positioned in said recess, upper longitudinal edge portions of said insert being disposed in said keeper grooves, a fastening element securing said insert to said body, and a plurality of spaced parallel ribs extending on the inner surface of said insert from points adjacent the bottom thereof to one of its upper longitudinal edges.

LAWRENCE M. LABAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

